Golf club



March 8, 1927. 1,620,118

G. W. MATTERN GOLF CLUB Filed May 15, 1922 GEORGE MATTERN, OF DAYTON,OHIO, ASSIGNOB TO 'IHE CRA'WFORD, MCGREGOR AND CAREY COMPANY, OF DAYTON,OHIO, A CORPORATION 07*? OHIO.

soar CLUB.

Application filed. May 15, 1922. Serial No. 566,931.

My invention relates to golf clubs and more particularly to clubsprovided with metallic or other non-wood handle shafts.

The purpose of the invention is to afford to such handle shafts ofmetal, composition or other shafts employed as substitutes for thestandard wooden shafts, the peculiar characteristics, reactions and feelinherent in the natural wood shafts.

Golf club shafts of tapered metallic tubing are at the present timecoming into use as substitutes of the natural Wooden shafts usuallyconstructed from seasoned hickory. Such metallic tubular shaft possesscertain desirable characteristics being non-breakable and beingsubstantially unaffected by climatic, temperature and humidityconditions.

While such metallic shaft-s possess a reasonable degree of flexibilityor bendingmoment, they are to a very great degree,.if not entirely,unresponsive to torsional strains. In this they differ very materiallyfrom 'the natural wood'shafts. They also have the characteristics oftransmitting to the play ers hand excessive vibration, which by re-'action upon the nerves frequently causes numbness or in'the absence ofnumbness, effects a disagreeable sensation. This tendency to conductexcessive vibration together with the unresponsiveness to torsionalstrain, subjects the players vwrists to abnormal stresses and strains,which results in undue .fatigue, and interferes with the players stroke.Moreover, the rigidity of such metallic shafts induces an inharmoniousaction of the club as a whole, destroys the balance of the club, andeliminates the characteristic feel which the skilled player prefers toexperience and which to a great extent determines the quality-of hisplaying.

When such tubular metallic shafts were first adopted for golf clubs, itwas thought that responsiveness to torsional strain in the wooden shaftswas objectionable and it was soughtto overcome this objection by theintroduction of the tubular steel shaft. Howing the use of metallic orother artificial shafts as substitutes for the natural Wood shafts inofficial games and tournaments.

In the present instance the desirable char acteristics of the tubularmetallic golf club shafts are retained, and its undesirable featuresovercome by combining with the metallic shaft a second non-metallicsection, which will be amply responsive to torsional strain and whichwill absorb or dampen excessive vibration. v

will thus be seen that theinvention pertalns to a golf club, whether adriver, a brassie, a mid-iron, a putter or other form of golf club,provided with a wood substitute shaft preferably though not necessarilyof tubular form, but which is responsive to torsional strain and ofcomparatively low vibration conductivity. i I

While the preferred construction is that of a temperedtubular steelsection, it will be understood that other material of nonwoodencharacter may be employed so long as the finished shaft possesses thecharacteristics of responsiveness to torsional strain. In theaccompanying drawing, Fig. 1 is a general view of a golf club in whichthe present invention has been embodied. Fig. 2 is a detail sectionalview of a portion of agolf club handle shaft showing the interconnectionand relation of the metallic and. non-metallic sections. Fig. 3 is asimilar view showing relative modification of proportion of therespective metallic and nonmetallic sections, whereby varying degreesment of the grain'in a wooden handle section in relation with the lineof impact or striking face of the club head, to likewise vary. thetorsional response of the head. Fig. 5 is a sectional view of a portionof a tubular shaft packed or filled to control vibration and the bendingmoment.

Like parts are indicated by similarcharacters of reference throughoutthe several views.

In,the accompanying drawings, 1 is the golf club head,.2the handle shaftand 3 the hand grip. In this instance, the club shown in a driver or abrassie. lit is to be understood, however, that the invention isequallyapplicable to clubs of other types. In the present instance, thehead 1, is usually and this substitute section may extend within thehandle grip. Connected to the wood substitute section, whether ofmetalliccharaeter or of other suitable material is a handle section 5,preferably of wood, but which may be of material having similar inherentresiliency, responsiveness to torsional stress and the'quality ofabsorbing or dampening to some extent, excessive vibration. Whilevarious modes of attaching the shaft section 4 with the wood substitutesection 3, may be employed, the referred form is to reduce the extremityo the handle section to an extended tenon thereon, which will be driventightly within the open end of the tubular section 4. The relativeproportions of the wooden substitute or metallic section 4v and thehandle section 5, will determine the inherent characteristics of theresultant handle shaft. By making the wooden handle sec tion 5 ofgreater or less length, the degree of responsiveness to torsional strainandto vibration may be varied, to meet the requirements and preferenceof different players. Likewise these may be varied to some extent byvarying the length of the tenon 6, and the distance to. which it extendswithin the tubular portion l. As a further modification tovary theinherent vibratory characteristics and bending moment of the handleshaft, the tubular section may be completely filled by extending thetenon 6 therethrough, or it may be packed or filled throughout withmaterial of more or less density, according to the characteristicsdesired to be produced. Such a filled-tubular shaft section is shown at7, Fig. 5.

The wrapping of the handle grip may be confined entirely to the. handlesection 5, or it may be extended therebeyond onto the wood substitutesection-.4, depending upon the relative length of the respectivesections. The sections may be interconnected by.any suitableme ans asfor instance by pinning,

' by means of screw threads. or merely b a tight driving fit of thehandle section wit in the tubular section. However, cement is preferablythough not necessarily, applied to the tenon before driving it into thetubular section. 4

. Not only will the composite handle shaft: thus produced, imitate withgreat slmilarity the inherent characteristics ofa natural wood handleshaft, be responsive to torsional strain, or stress and absorbent ofexcessive vibration, but it will also obviate breakage of the club headto .which-a golf club fitted with the usual form of steel or othermetallic shaft are subject. The resistance of the metallic shaft ascommonly employed to torsional stress subjects the head to excessivestrain and many clubs are broken,by the neck of the head 1 beingfractured or split, due to the unresponsiveness of the shaft to theimpact with the ball.

While it is true that an all metallic shaft possessing torsionalresistance may enable a player to drive somewhat more accurately, andobviate slicing, such advantage is due solely to the mechanicalqualities of the club, and gives the player an advantage which -.is notrecognized as being spo-rtsman-likej The wooden handle shafts beingthetraditional and standard golf. club handle shaft is reproduced in allof its desirable characteristics by the artificial substitute heretoforedescribed. a

Hickory wood of the proper quality for handle shafts is becoming qultescarce. Onl a small portion of the hickory growth, tha .is themiddle-zone portion is suitable for making golf club shafts. The sapwood, although possessing considerable strength, is elastic and beingquite supple cannot he satisfactorily employed and hence there is agreat'deal of waste. While this wood is not suitable for making theentire shaft, where it must be reduced to comparatively small diameter,it may nevertheless be satisfactorily employed in the presentconstruction. I

In the present .mstance, it is employed in ieces Of'lDlIlCh larger;diameter and theooseness of the fiber or lack of density, which rendersit objectionable for the entire shaft makes it especially desirable forthe present purpose, wherein-the response to torsional strain is .to befound primarily in the wood handle section. This soft wood or coarsegrained material unsuited for the I main portion of the shaft, alsoserves well as an absorber of vibration.

' The entire handleshaftma'y be made of this soft wood or coarse grainhickory, .or even other woods wholly unsuitable for golf club shafts maybe employed, if encased in a length of reinforcing tubing, as shown inFig. 5. While this casing or reinforcement tubing is preferablymetallic, it might be fiber, composition or even paper. In .the eventthat the handle tenon 6' does not extend entirely through the tubularsection 41 as'shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the tubular section may be packedor filled with suitable mate-.

rial to control the vibration and also the whip or bending moment. Thispacking or filling material may be of various forms. Ground cork,asbestos, fiber or other material pressed into thetube under varyingdey,

grees of pressure or composition, Wax or other material of diiferent'densities may be employed in a tube to regulate the vibratorycharacteristics, and degree of Whip. By reinforcing the tubular sectionby either the wooden insert or by filling it with materials asaforementioned, the thickness or gage of the material employed for thetube may be materially decreased thereby not only reducing weight of theshaft, but also economizing the cost of manufacture.

The responsiveness of the handle shaft to strains and stress may befurther regulated by using care with regard to the relation of the gramor growth circles of the wooden handle section, with the line of theimpact. 1n Fig. l of the drawing, which shows. an end view of the golfclub shaft, the grain or growth circles are shown substantially in linewith the line of impact. The general direction of these variations, ofthe wood being indicated by the line aa.' By turning the wood handlesection through a quarter rotation so that the growth circles ormarkings of the grain agree substantially with the line 6-?) a differenteffect is attained. Between these extremitiesvarious intermediateeffects may be had by turning the grain or course circles to variousangles in relation with the line of impact, as for instance as indicatedby theline c-c.

By the various means heretofore described, a wide range of variation ormodification of characteristics may be had in close imitation of effectsproduced by the usual and traditional all hickory shaft. I

From the above description it will be apparent that there is thusprovided a device of the character described possessing the particularfeatures of advantage before enumerated as desirable, but whichobviously is susceptible of modification in its form, proportions,detail construction and arrangement of parts without departing from theprinciple involved or sacrificing any of its advantages.

While in order to comply with the statute the invention has beendescribed in language more or less specific as to structural features,it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specificdetails shown, but that the means and construction herein disclosedcomprises the preferred form of several modes of putting the inventioninto effect and the invention is therefore claimed in any of its formsor modifications within the legitimate and valid scope of the appendedclaims.

.Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. Agolf club including a head portion, a tubular flexible non fibrousshaft and a fibrous handle section forming a continuation of said shaftformed independent of specified.

and subsequently attached to said head portion and capable of limitedtwisting action. 2. A golf club provided with a shaft of metallic tubingand a Wooden hand-1e section connected to and extending beyond saidshaft. v

3. A golf club provided with a tubular metallic shaft and 'a handleextension of v ditional to said metallic section whereby said club isrendered responsive to torsional strains irrespective of the torsionalresponse of the tubular section, substantially as 5. A golf'club,including a tubular flexible shaft section highly resistant to torsionalstrains, to which the club head'is attached,

and a continuing section of characteris tic-ally different materialresponsive to torsional strains upon the shaft, independent of theresponse of the tubular section, and a handle grip carried by the lastmentioned section.

6. A golf club provided with a shaftineluding a tubular section'highlyresistant to torsional strain joined to the head of the club and ahandle grip section responsive to such torsional strain said-sectionsbeing metallic shaft whereby the club will be re-- sponsive totorsionalstrain's.

. 8. A golf club, a head portionand an independently formed tubularmetallic'shaft joined to the club h-ead and a non-metallic sectionjoined to such metallic shaft for intercepting the vibrations of saidshaft before reaching the jplayershands;

9. A golf club, a head portion and an independently formed tubularmetallic shaft or the like joined to the club headand a non-metallicsectionv joined to and projecting axially beyond 'fthemetallic shaft fordampening 'the vibrations induced ;in said,

metallic shaft. I p

10. A golf clubfa head portion and an independently formed'tubularmetallic shaft.

or the like joined to the club head andv a handle section ofresilientlnaterial joined to f v said shaftextending therebeyo'nd; and'formmg a continuationthereof adaptedto render the club responsive totorsional strains,

11. A golf club handle shaft comprisinga a tapered tubular metallicsection- I and wooden handle section. fixedly connected to one end ofthe tubular section. the'said;

wooden handle section 'forming a continuation of the tubular metallicsection and extending beyond the terminal of the metallic section inaxial alinement therewith 12. A golf club handle shaft, comprising atubular metallic section, a handle grip spaced away from the extremityof the metallic section and a longitudinally disposed wooden section,interconnecting the grip and tubular metallic section in lineal 10continuation ofboth the handle grip and metallic sections and serving tocouple said longitudinally spaced portions one to the other. t;

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set 15 my hand this 9th day of MayA. D. 1922.

GEORGE WLMATTERN.

